Unpredictable Designs in the Making: Marina Bay Sands

irinfocus
by Rangsan Srirat / Photographer Kongkarn Sujirasinghakul
A New Milestone Of Innovation
It is said that Singapore is a place where – within a day or two, you can understand
the sense and spirit of what it means to be a Singaporean. But that doesn’t work for
me anymore. Today, visitors can instantly feel the buzz from the city and its inhabitants
as mega-buildings reach for the sky and the future while centuries old buildings keep
the city tied to its rich and historic past.
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This was my second trip to Singapore and on both occasions I have seen
modern developments, plus a large number of new and amazing tourist
destinations and attractions. This has been made possible, in part, thanks to
foreign investment and it is this development that leaves a lasting impression
on visitors, including me since my first visit four years ago.
The latest modern splendour is Marina Bay Sands, an integrated hotel
and resort that brings another layer of architectural beauty to Singapore. It is
also an important milestone for the parent company Las Vegas Sands Corp,
the world’s top-flight casino resort company, as it helps enhance the travel
experience to Singapore. I took time out with my photographer to spend
a few days exploring a stunning design that symbolises a new gateway
for Singapore to maximise the unmatched luxury leisure experience in
entertainment, business and shopping all under one roof.
As I waited to check-in, my mind was awash as I tried hard to find a
sentence fitting enough to describe the lobby I was standing in. Words
such as gigantic, stunning, incredible, creative, splendid, flowed like water
through a showerhead, spraying my head with catchy headlines. The lobby
was certainly the busiest part of the hotel and it is here that guests are first
introduced to the luxury modernity and upscale service awaiting them. I am
sure this welcoming will be a hit with millions of visitors from around the world
and further strengthen Singapore’s hand as the centre of Southeast Asia.
Marina Bay Sands is actually a result of a
global endeavor. The design team of Hirsch
Bedner Associates (HBA), a global leader in
hospitality interior design, worked in close
collaboration with internationally renowned
architect Moshe Safdie to deliver one of the
most stunning leisure and convention venues
in the world. HBA was tasked with coming
up with an interior design for the guest rooms
as well as creating an area to host meetings,
incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE)
events. The aim is to catapult the reputation
of Marina Bay Sands as the gaming and
convention destination in Southeast Asia and
to fulfill the vision of a truly integrated resort.
The hotel has attracted a lot of attention due
to the challenging design of its three towers,
which form the image of a Chinese character.
The eastern towers slope to a maximum of
52 degrees and at 70 metres or the 23rd
floor connect to the main towers, which then
extends to higher floors or the 55th storey.
The curving shape of the towers presented
HBA with the opportunity to create more than
100 different room types that are finished in
different shapes.
The entire complex is finished to maximise
a dramatic transformation between day
and night as characterised by the graceful
curves and the extensive use of windows
and atriums. As a result, night and day at the
Marina Bay Sands will create totally different
experiences for the guests as well as to
maintain harmony within the complex. All
guest rooms are similarly designed to evoke a
harmony among the various spaces and also
to stress the integral part of the architecture.
The three innovative hotel towers house a
total of 2,561 guest rooms and the icon of the
hotel at the summit is the Sands SkyPark, an
outstanding recreational surfboard-shaped
terrace connecting the three buildings. The
SkyPark is, at 343-metres wide, twice the
size of a football field and features the unique
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Interior Designer: HBA
Architect: Moshe Safdie
Window Treatments: Sunscreen (Singapore)
PTE Ltd. Motorized mechanism only
Shower Fitting: Specified as ToTo as
requested by Marina Bay Sands
Basin: ToTo
Bathroom Hardware (Tiles & Basin): ToTo for all
hardware. No Tiles
Decorative Lighting Fixture: Ricardo Lighting
Flooring: Stone Flooring - Best Cheers & Tan
Chiang Brother’s Corporation PTE. Ltd.
Carpet: Taiping Carpets
Curtains: Sunscreen (Singapore) PTE Ltd.
Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd
10 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018956
Tel: +65 6688 8866
Online: www.marinabaysands.com.
infinity-edge swimming pool, a garden, public
observation deck and restaurants. The total
amount of steel used in the construction of
Marina Bay Sands was more than 43,000 tons,
which is enough to go around the world twice.
Marina Bay Sands is a much-awaited project
for the people of Singapore and features a wide
array of world-class shopping, dining, gaming
and entertainment outlets as well as other cuttingedge
attributes at the gigantic SkyPark. However,
the guest rooms and suites offer nothing new
for the discerning traveller who can find similar
comfort in other international hotels.
Here the guest rooms come in two main
categories: City Rooms and Garden Rooms.
Singapore features so significantly in the design
of the rooms, HBA used tactile materials,
sleek angles and minimal decoration to create
contemporary, tranquil interiors. City Rooms are
oriented to magnify the impact of the already
magnificent skyline views with beds facing the
city. Vibrant colours and smooth, clean lines are
accentuated with lustrous dark wood finishes and
sophisticated fabrics like mohair to enhance the
emotions of the view.
As for Garden Rooms, they feature lush,
plant-lined balconies facing a splendid
garden below. Inspired by the garden city of
Singapore, Garden Rooms seek to merge
interior and exterior as if brining the garden
into the room to celebrate and integrate with
nature. They are finished throughout with
soft materials, light woods, textures, natural
colours and materials. As in the city facing
rooms, lighting is an important design element
of the Garden Rooms as well to create a
soothing atmosphere for this hotel resort.
I found nothing truly outstanding in my room
on the 45th floor; just what you would expect
to find in any five-star hotel. During my stay, I
was given a tour of the exclusive Straits Suite,
a magnificently designed suite that offers
families contemporary comfort, stylish décor
and plenty of space. The suite incorporates
a list of unique features like a king-size bed,
second bedroom with twin beds, living area
equipped with baby grand piano, a dining
area, pantry with fridge and microwave,
a powder and saloon room, fitness and
massage room and a complete set of daily
necessaries. This suite is where the highest
standards of comfort are rendered in local
materials, elements and details.
Aside from normal guest rooms, HBA
also designed the various suites, which are
situated on the higher floors and command
truly amazing views on both sides of the
building. Suites spread across the towers’
width, offer both city and garden views. The
suites reflect a high degree of luxury and
are in contrast to the minimalism found in
regular guest rooms. Each suite is opulent
in detail, rich in colour and glamorous in
material, bringing together international
influences such as Italian stone and iconic
European furniture.
HBA rose to the challenge of turning 1.2
million square feet of open space in to more
than just a remarkable modern icon for
Singapore. The design team achieved this
through patterning, textures and employing
familiar natural and cultural influences from
China, India, Southeast Asia and Europe
and today the hotel boasts what might be
the largest MICE space in the world.
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September 2010

ironeonone
by Rangsan Srirat with cooperation from June Chow, Grebstad Hicks Communications
Unpredictable
Designs In The Making
Singapura Suite’s Living Room
Last month I took time out to visit what’s billed as the latest innovation in stunning
architecture and noticeable ideas in design, which is quickly making the Marina Bay
Sands in Singapore one of the world’s newest landmarks. Developed by Las Vegas
Sands Corp, the integrated entertainment and casino property is a unique project
completed with the cooperation of world renowned architect Moshe Safdie and Hirsch
Bedner Associates (HBA), a famous interior design company that was responsible for
guest rooms and the MICE space.
Actually it was a truly global endeavor
with HBA’s design team working in close
collaboration with internationally renowned
architect Moshe Safdie to deliver one of the
most stunning leisure and convention venues
ever conceived. The integrated teams realised
a cohesive contemporary vision that is a
microcosm of Singapore and a monument to
the power of design.
“It was an exciting moment when we (HBA)
secured the deal with Moshe Safdie. The
brief was to deliver an interior architecture
for the guest rooms and MICE space that
would complement and extend the reputation
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of Marina Bay Sands as the gaming and
convention destination in Southeast Asia.
Knowing the reputation of Safdie and the
impact this landmark structure would have,
not only on Singapore, but across the work
was quite something. It is an architectural
feat and one we are proud and honoured to
have been a part of. We were, and still are, very inspired by Moshe’s work and
feel privileged to work alongside him on one of the most iconic buildings in the
world,” jointly say Ilija Karlusic, Principal of HBA, Hong Kong and Alicia Loo,
Principal of HBA, Los Angeles.
“It was a mutually appreciative and successful relationship. To ensure a
strong design, HBA stepped out of its operational norms, establishing an
intimate working relationship with Safdie and his team to fulfill the entire vision
of a truly integrated resort. The whole process has kept both parties in close
contact, harmonising everything from materials and patterns to textures and
finishes during the conceptualisation stage, which alone lasted 14 months.”
According to HBA, the integrated resort is a microcosm of Singapore itself,
blending stylish sophistication and lush natural beauty. Singapore is very much
a garden city and the idea of nature and city coming together provided a unique
opportunity. The island is simultaneously a sleek and modern city and an oasis
of green space and ocean. The overall design reflects an up tempo and yet
serene mood. In each room, the highest standards of comfort are rendered in
local materials, elements and details. Given the full wall of windows, each room
— and the entire resort as well — transforms from day to night.
September 2010
Ilija Karlusic

Orchid Suite
Pool Table at Chairman Suite
Presidential Suite
“Generally speaking I usually take Feng Shui
into consideration such as the flow of energies
and spatial forces when it comes to designing
interiors. Whether this is directly related to
Feng Shui I wouldn’t be able to answer that
for sure but I do know there is a relation to a
certain extent. I personally very much consider
these spatial forces, human energies and the
movement and interactions of volumes and
how humans interact with these energies
when designing interiors,” says Karlusic.
Each room is oriented to magnify the impact
of the already magnificent skyline views.
Vibrant colours and smooth, clean lines are
accentuated with lustrous dark wood finishes
and sophisticated fabrics. The effect is to
give one type of room a playful, urban resort
feel that helps create a captivating ambience,
enduring interest and personality of guests.
“HBA’s international presence, depth of
experience and detailed industry knowledge
enabled us to identify interior design trends at
their source, make definitive predictions about
new directions and innovations and influence
design standards at a global level. From
continent to continent, each Hirsch Bedner
interior is the result of a unique and sensitive
response to location, architecture and client
vision,” stresses Karlusic and Alicia Loo.
“We always keep in mind that our design
is governed by sophisticated travellers. To
accomplish and complement the exclusivity
and characteristic of a property, the designer
team would conduct a series of research and
brainstorming sessions in order to create the
best a property has to offer.
“We provide a comprehensive package of
interior design services that follows a project
from planning through to implementation. We
are philosophically open to new influences
in technology and sustainability, pushing
the aesthetic envelope to give our projects
the strong, inspired identities that originally
shattered all preconceived notions of
standardisation and revolutionised the practice
of hotel design,” says Alicia Loo.
As for the design of the Presidential and
Chairman Suites, Kathleen Dauber, Principal
of HBA, Los Angeles, added that the main
focus is to cater to six-star luxury. The most
significance element of the design is the
views. These suites are located on the upper
floors of the buildings and present occupants
with unparalleled views of Singapore. Every
room focuses on the view and many of the
baths are located on an exterior wall to give
unobstructed views of Singapore by day and
by night. The theme of the two most opulent
suites is contemporary luxury warmed with
natural woods and rich textures. A sense of
extreme comfort is conveyed through the
spaciousness and unique amenities found in
these VIP suites. The colour palettes vary from
suite to suite to create a different ambience in
each. They range from sky blue and brown to
cool gold and red.
In addition, unique textured handmade
carpets are used throughout the suites
and are custom designed by HBA. There
is a continuing thread of inspiration from
Kathleen Dauber
Chairman Suite’s Main Bathroom
nature throughout and this can be seen in the loose and flowing carpet
patterns. The fabrics and woods used are richly textured and stained while
upholstered walls are used in the media rooms and at the headboard walls
in the bedrooms to create a cocoon-like feel and add sound absorption so
extraneous sounds are absorbed and cannot be heard.
“Although every designer has his / her own style, it is vital to understand
the brief and be able to create and accomplish the design to complement
the overall presentation of the property. It is fundamental to understand
the background information of a property from different aspects from a
big picture such as geography of location, weather, nature and cultures to
people, colours, taste; the smallest aspect one could imagine. All these
elements play important role to plan and conceptualise a design,” says
Kathleen.
“We have been guided by the HBA philosophy of creating a sense of
place: a well-designed and integrated package of fantasy, drama and
creature comfort delivered on time and within budget. We are enthused
to create inspired, brand-strengthening design experience that evokes a
distinct sense of place, while delighting the world’s most discriminating
travellers. Our ultimate objective is to add value, raise standards and
enhance the brand of a project’s owner and operator,” she adds.
“The suites have been designed to have a grand sense of space. There
is a formal entry opening on to the first of two living rooms. The floor to
ceiling height of the suites is grand and windows wrap the space with views
back toward Singapore and also out to the bay. The ceiling design is also
quite unique. It is a multi-height ceiling with individual ceiling planes which
are floated off the ceiling creating a multi-faceted ceiling plane accent with
antique silver leaf at random locations. The goal was to create a seamless
concept with no design elements having a louder voice than any others,”
says Kathleen.
Special thanks to:
Ilija Karlusic, Principal of HBA, Hong Kong
Alicia Loo, Principal of HBA, Los Angeles
Kathleen Dauber, Principal of HBA, Los Angeles
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